In this July file photo, Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is escorted out of a courthouse in Fort Meade, Md. The defense rested its case on July 10. / Jose Luis Magan,a AP

by David Dishneau, The Associated Press

by David Dishneau, The Associated Press

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - The defense has rested its case in the court-martial of Pfc. Bradley Manning, who leaked loads of classified information to the website WikiLeaks.

Lawyers for the soldier rested their case Wednesday. Manning is contesting 21 charges, including aiding the enemy, which carries a possible life sentence.

He has acknowledged giving the anti-secrecy group hundreds of thousands of battlefield reports and State Department cables while working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq. He says he wanted to expose wrongdoing.

Prosecutors say he knew the material would be seen online by al-Qaeda.

Prosecutors say they will call rebuttal witnesses on Monday, when the trial reconvenes.

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